Slabs like these are the main reason you don't want to miss the spring spawn in Tennessee. Photo by Bennett Kirkpatrick.

Anyone who has spent a few years chasing crappie realizes that the fish are cyclic, more plentiful then less numerous depending on a variety of factors. Thus, there are subtle shifts in the quality of some fisheries from year to year. But crappie also have the capacity to reproduce rapidly in good years, and they live long enough that at any one time there are multiple year-classes of crappie in any body of water that will interest anglers.

This month we check on the statewide prospects for crappie angling in Tennessee in 2009.

REGION 1
One of the top "crappie factories" in every survey, Kentucky Lake, appears to be on one of those downward swings.

"We have seen a series (four years) of year-class failures and that can't help but impact crappie density," said TWRA's area fisheries biologist Tim Broadbent. "Part of the impact can be directly linked to the drought conditions of 2008 and earlier, so this is nothing new to us. It happens. When certain weather patterns become dominant, you can project what the effect will be on Kentucky Lake and other reservoirs like it."

Broadbent went on to add that the same decline, which he points out is temporary, will be felt on Lake Barkley as well, saying, "Despite the fact that there are some differences in the overall character and ages of the two lakes, they are not only close geographically, but spawning success for crappie is usually pretty much a mirror image. Anglers are simply not going to find the numbers of fish that they are used to seeing on peak or near-peak years. That does not mean that there are not enough to fish for because the numbers are still good overall, and with the high gas prices that have impacted tourism, there very well could be fewer visiting fishermen trying their luck. Competition is likely to be down this year."

Long-time guide Steve McCadams reports that he has noticed fewer fish in the 3-year-old and younger classes, but said that overall the fishing in the Paris Landing/Big Sandy area where he does most of his work is still productive.

"Low annual recruitment does not mean no recruitment," he explained. "The overall census is lower than we would like it, but there are still more than adequate numbers for the fisherman who pays attention to detail and spends time in the best crappie fishing areas. You can't expect to get lucky and find a lot of 'stray' fish, but around good cover and at the right depth for the season it's still possible to take home your limit."

An interesting sidebar to the effect on the drought and its negative influence on crappie numbers was offered up by Tim Broadbent who said, "Strangely enough this situation has exactly the opposite effect on largemouth bass numbers. The last time it happened the bass numbers went crazy." It's something to think about.

Remaining steadily productive -- and expected to be as good as ever this season -- is Reelfoot Lake. Broadbent categorized this timber-studded natural lake as incredible.

"Despite the pressure that the lake receives, it just keeps on producing numbers and the average size is good as well. Nobody is laughing at the 'Reelfoot slabs' like they did at one time. Most of the fish caught are now over 10 inches and some really good ones are brought in every day," he said.